Tomorrow will see the start of Will’s World Online Hack. The opening session will take place on Google+ hangout at 1pm GMT. Most participants are in the UK but we also have someone from Spain and folks from the USA. We’re hoping you can join us but it may be a bit early for California!

Join Us for the Live Launch!

If you have already registered then join us live on Google+ hangout or YouTube if you can (instructions later in this post), or checkout out the recording at a later time. If you haven’t registered to take part it’s not too late! You can still register here.

The Will’s World Google+ page

This live  opening session will introduce:

• The Will’s World team
• The Will’s World project
• The data
• Our hopes for the hack
• The prizes and judges
• The practical organisation for the week ahead
• And most important of all: you, the participants

The main aim of this session is to kick start the interaction and team formation!  We will also be running a live check in at 5pm (GMT) which you are very welcome to join/look in on.

Joining Live Will’s World Hack Sessions

For the Live Launch we are using Google+ Hangouts. You can either join in via video or audio using Google+, or you can view the stream via our YouTube Channel. We will run other live sessions throughout the week, similarly, using Google+ and YouTube, but will also be available to support your fantastic hacking via Skype (WillsWorldWack), email (willsworldhack@gmail.com), Twitter (@willsworldhack) etc.

To join in the Google+ Hangouts:

• Go to the Wills World Hack Google+ page
• Look for the most recent update and click “Hang Out”. You may see a warning if our WillsWorldHack account is not already part of your circles – either add us to your circle or accept that warning to be added to the chat.
• You will be taken to a new window where you will be added to the active Hang Out.
• Your video camera and/or microphone will automatically be shown once you have joined the Hang Out. Usually when you speak you will appear onscreen. We will be managing the various cameras so if you wish to raise a question and your camera does not show in the main Hang Out window please just give us a wave!
• Once in the hangout you can use the “chat” button (a grey or blue square speech bubble – the second link on the left hand menu) to raise questions via text chat. These may or may not be seen by others (depending on whether they have clicked the same link) but the Will’s World Team will be keeping an eye out for any questions.
• To exit the call use the “hang up” symbol at the top right of the screen.

We have trialed this technology and although it sounds tricky, it’s actually pretty easy to get started with. If you have any questions please let us know (willsworldhack@gmail.com).

Schedule for Will’s World Hack

We have scheduled at least one live session per day but if you have any comments on the timing of these or would like to see additional times added to the schedule (available from the FAQ page on the wiki or via our Google Calendar) just let us know.

Follow the hack

Even if you are not taking part in the event itself, you can follow the development of the hack too!

This opening sessions will be streamed lived on YouTube and made available later on the Will’s World Google+ page and on this blog. Check them out!

We also have a hashtag for the event so look out for Shakespeare hack chatter – and add your own ideas and advice – on #willhack. You can also follow our lovely participants’ tweets via the Wills World Hack Twitter List.

For all other information about the hack – which will be added to throughout the week – please do take a look at the Will’s World Hack Wiki: http://willsworld.edina.ac.uk/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

If you have any feedback on the event, the format, the tools we are using, etc. then please just let us know here as a comment or through any of the channels mentioned above.